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Monday, 19 February 2018

The Sunday Lunch Club - by Juliet Ashton

Original Cover

My own copy

The blurb:

The first rule of Sunday Lunch Club is
… don't make any afternoon plans.

Every few Sundays, Anna and her extended family
and friends get together for lunch. They talk, they laugh, they bicker, they
eat too much. Sometimes the important stuff is left unsaid, other times it's
said in the wrong way.

Sitting between her ex-husband and her new
lover, Anna is coming to terms with an unexpected pregnancy at the age of
forty. Also at the table are her ageing grandmother, her promiscuous sister,
her flamboyantly gay brother and a memory too terrible to contemplate.

Until, that is, a letter arrives from the person
Anna scarred all those years ago. Can Anna reconcile her painful past with her
uncertain future?

Juliet Ashton weaves a story of love, friendship
and community that will move you to laughter and to tears. Think Cold
Feetmeets David Nicholls, with a dash of the
joy of Jill Mansell added for good measure.

My Opinion:

*Book
provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

The Sunday Lunch Club has all I want in a book: a
gorgeous title, a funny title and an intriguing blurb. After reading it, I can
say it’s a fabulous story, full of great elements.

The story is based around Anna, who is 40 years old,
divorced and is pregnant. The Sunday Lunch Club for her is a bit awkward,
because she basically sits between her ex-husband and her new lover. They are
joined by her grandmother, her sister and family and her gay brother and his
family. And then there is this unresolved thing from her past… Not easy, but it
calls for a very interesting story. And it definitely was.

I loved getting to know all the characters during
their lunches, how they interacted with each other and also how they were
always there for each other. I really liked that the other characters got to
share their story as well. Juliet Ashton found a brilliant way to include them
all and created a unique storyline.

I really wanted to be part of their family. Each
Sunday was different and so much fun to follow. There were secrets revealed,
drama caused and the way their family dealt with everything was great to see.
The story has lots of funny moments, but also emotional details and scenes. I
cried, because of sadness and joy and that’s all thanks to the wonderful
writing. Juliet Ashton really knows, how to include feelings in a story and she
makes a story special with her brilliant storyline, endearing characters, lots
of feelings and drama.

I was hooked from the start and couldn’t put the book
down. There were several twists in the plot and that just made it more
exciting. I felt like being there with the characters and was actually sad when
it all ended.